Insecticide comprising rotenone and piperonyl cyclonene as a synergist therefor



patented Nov; 28, 1956 UNlTED STATES EP'ATEINT OFFICE INSECTICIDE COMPRISING ROTENONE AND PIPERONYL CYCLONENE AS A SYNERGIST 'rnannroa Loyd W. Brannon, deceased, late of Norfolk, Va.,

by Leila Brannon, executrix, Norfolk, Va.; dedicated to the free use of the People in the ter ritory of the United States I i This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended by the act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein described, if patented in any country, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes throughout the world without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The invention herein described is hereby dedicated to the free use of the people in the territory of the United States to take effect on the granting of a patent.

This application is a division of the copending application for patent, Serial No. 34,846, filed June 8, 1948.

This invention relates to insecticidal compositions, more particularly to insecticidal compositions containing rotenone, and has among its objects the provision of such insecticidal compositions wherein the effectiveness of rotenone is enhanced by combining it with certain synthetic organic compounds, sometimes designated as activators or synergists. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the description of the invention.

Rotenone has long been known as an effective insecticide. It has certain disadvantages however, among which are its cost and the high concentrations needed to obtain 100 percent mortality of certain species of insects.

It has been found that when a rotenone material, which may be either pure rotenone or a rotenone-containing plant material, such as derris and cube root, as the essential active ingredient, is combined with either (butylcarbityl) (6-propyl piperonyl) ether having the following Formula I Formula I amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. 'G. .757)' or with a mixture consisting essentially of the' compound having the following Formula II Formula II and the compound having the following Formula III Formula III 3 a compound of Formula III, sulfur, and an inert carrier such as pyrophyllite, and powders comprising rotenone (butylcarbityl) (fi-propyl piperonyl) ether (Formula I) sulfur, and pyrophyllite,

in cube powder) and either synergist, that is piperonyl cyclonene or (butylcarbityl) (fi-propyl piperonyl) ether, possessed a definitely greater insecticidal value than the rotenone alone, re-

are far more effective in killing the Mexican bean 'sults being comparable with the currently recombeetle, Epilachna variuestist M2111? than. would g s m g e soilg concenttraktioril of O.51percent. be expected from the insec ici a va ue any eXa Percen 0 I 6110116 a pof t components alone There i a high degree plied as described, gave no control of the insect. f activation of the rotenone dusts by these However, by combining this with a concentration products of either of the two above-mentioned synergists,

Powders were prepared by mixin a, given Which in themselves are at the most only very amount of cube root powder containing 3.6 per- Slightly toxic compositions were Obtained that cent of rotenone and a given amount of, a dust gave 98 and percent control of the bean beetle base containing piperonyl cyclonene (a known g fi P91665111? control i the composition consistin essentially of a mixture of g g igfi g fg fi 2 enorfi G g the compound of Formula II and the compound in other te'sts g g' g i g 8911 0 ame g g g gg gg x s gfi g 1: 2:33; The proportion of rotenone and the synergists may be varied over a wide range, although a ratio ggg i ggi yg gg sg 1 5353 g i igg; of from 0.1 to 0.75 percent of rotenone to 0.5 pery cent of synergist, by weight, is preferred. Other dioxy)-phenyl-3-cyclohexen-5-one) or (butylcaibityl) (6-propyl piperonyl) ether (Formula I) on earners commonly used m the msectmdal walnut-shell flour with the desired amount of 33 E2 3? g f g g ifig gg 5 sulfur and pyrophyllite. The resulting powders tions may be used in combinatior'l ith 8g were dusted on snap beans heavily infested by W er th M b I h t ld R lts of other tests conducted dure exlcan ean beetle f F was of ing, the season show that in general these syntreatment were made. Examinations for survivthetic organic compounds tested alone were at ing bean beetle larvae and pupae were made 11 the most only Very slightly toxic d ys af r the last ppl cat on- I the fol w Having thus described the invention, what is table are shown the insecticidal results obtained claimed w th p wd rs pr d and e t d as described- An insecticide comprising from 0.1 to 0.75 per- Larvae and Dust Mixtures (Ingredients in pyro- Rate per Yield per Pupae Sur- Control of phyllite), Percent by Weight Acre Acre viving on 10 Larvae Plants Pounds Bushela Number Percent Rotenone 0.125, piperonyl cyclonene 0.5, sulfur 25 20 1e? 5 cs Rotenone 0.5, DDT 3, sulfur Z; 168 11 96 Rotcnone 0.125, (butylcarbityl) (6- propylpiperonyl) other 0.5, sulfur 25. 21 144 35 86 Rotenone 0.125, sulfur 25 20 101 26% Check (untreated) 103 253 Difierence required for significance (odds 19:1 as 47 The results are stated in terms of percent control cent, by weight, of rotenone and piperonyl cycloas determined by reductions of surviving larvae and pupae on treated-compared with untreated plots.

It will be seen from the table that in every case the composition comprising. rotenone (contained nene as a synergist therefor.

LEILA BRANNON, Ewecutrix of the, Last Will and Testament 0f Loyd W. Brannon, Deceased, Inventor.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Geary Dec. 9, 1941 Date No. 40, page 2883. 

